‘Close nursing homes without registration’

The Delhi High Court has ordered that all nursing homes functioning in violation of building bylaws and land-use laws should down shutters within six months if they are unable to register themselves under terms of the Delhi Nursing Homes Registration Act,1953.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S Muralidhar dismissed a plea by the Delhi Medical Association and 22 nursing homes challenging a 1992 amendment to the Delhi Nursing Home Rules for registration. The petitioners had pleaded that they were entitled to benefit from Masterplan 2021,which introduced mixed land-use norms.

Nursing homes that have applied for renewal of their registration have been given a grace period of six months.

The judges said the grace period was given so that patients already receiving treatment are not inconvenienced. The court ruled that each new patient admitted from now will be forewarned that the hospital has been asked to shut down by a certain date,pending grant of registration.